Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC, LLCScarinci Hollenbeck, LLC, LLC

Firm Insights

Student Athletes Beware: March Madness Gambling Has Serious Consequences

Author: Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC

Date: March 13, 2013

Key Contacts

Back

Student Athletes joining in on a campus pool for March Madness is harmless fun, right?  Don’t bet on it!

The chance to earn a little money through March Madness gambling brackets and betting pools may be enticing and seemingly harmless to student athletes. However, many may not be aware that small “friendly wagers” constitute a violation of sports law and the provisions that govern gambling.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association monitors gambling among student athletes very closely during March Madness, and committing NCAA violations by gambling can reap serious consequences for otherwise stellar student athletes. This includes making bets through a bookmaker, the internet or any other method utilized by organized gambling, or giving information to another individual to make bets.

Athletes should keep in mind that while NCAA laws do not expressly prohibit athletes from filling out the typical team bracket sheet, it does fall into the gambling (and therefore illegal) category when money is paid to enter the pool and prizes of any nominal value are given.  The simple rule to remember is that if the contest requires an entry fee and can result in winning a prize, then chances are it is considered to be sports wagering and is prohibited.  Entry fees and/or prizes come in many “shapes and sizes” but typically involve something of value in either case.  There are many contests that are free to enter but offer a prize. There are also contests that charge a fee, but result in no prize.  These are permissible contests that should not jeopardize your eligibility as a NCAA student-athlete.

Those who are found to be in violation of NCAA law can face a number of punishments which may include indefinite suspension from a team or expulsion from school, both of which may jeopardize students from being drafted into professional sports leagues. In addition, players may also be banned from professional sports and, in serious cases, face jail time. 

No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC, LLC

Related Posts

See all
A Simple Guide to Industry Roll-Up Acquisitions post image

A Simple Guide to Industry Roll-Up Acquisitions

When done successfully, industry roll-up acquisitions can dramatically grow and strengthen your business. In this post, we break down what an industry roll-up is, why companies pursue it, and what makes it an effective (and sometimes risky) business strategy. What Is an Industry Roll-Up Acquisition? In an industry roll-up acquisition of companies, a buyer acquires multiple companies […]

Author: Dan Brecher

Link to post with title - "A Simple Guide to Industry Roll-Up Acquisitions"
Genesis Mission: How the U.S. Government’s New AI Platform Will Reshape Corporate Innovation, Risk, and Competition post image

Genesis Mission: How the U.S. Government’s New AI Platform Will Reshape Corporate Innovation, Risk, and Competition

The federal government has launched one of the most ambitious scientific initiatives in decades, and it will redefine how companies develop technology, manage risk, and compete. The Genesis Mission, created by Executive Order and driven by the Department of Energy (“DOE”), is intended to accelerate scientific discovery through a national AI platform that links supercomputers, […]

Author: Michael J. Sheppeard

Link to post with title - "Genesis Mission: How the U.S. Government’s New AI Platform Will Reshape Corporate Innovation, Risk, and Competition"
Stablecoins and the GENIUS Act: How New Global Rules Are Reshaping Compliance post image

Stablecoins and the GENIUS Act: How New Global Rules Are Reshaping Compliance

Stablecoins Leave the Grey Zone Stablecoins were supposed to be the “boring” part of crypto: digital dollars that just work. Yet for years they have lived in a regulatory no-man’s-land, classified one day as securities, the next as commodities, and sometimes as something regulators had not even named yet. That uncertainty is finally starting to […]

Author: Bryce S. Robins

Link to post with title - "Stablecoins and the GENIUS Act: How New Global Rules Are Reshaping Compliance"
Don’t Overlook the Importance of Business License Management post image

Don’t Overlook the Importance of Business License Management

If you operate a business without the proper license, you risk fines, insurance issues, reputational harm, and even business closure. Even innocent mistakes, like forgetting to renew a license, can have significant consequences, such as losing your lawsuit for payment of services that are unlicensed, which makes it imperative to have business license management procedures […]

Author: Dan Brecher

Link to post with title - "Don’t Overlook the Importance of Business License Management"
Failing to Comply With NJ Rent Control Exemption May Prove Costly post image

Failing to Comply With NJ Rent Control Exemption May Prove Costly

What Developers Need to Know About New Jersey’s Rent Control Exemption Law to Ensure Entitlement to Exemption for Newly Constructed Multi-family Housing.  A property owner in Jersey City is facing a $400 million federal class action lawsuit alleging that the landlord did not follow the procedural steps required to be eligible for exemption from local […]

Author: Patrick T. Conlon

Link to post with title - "Failing to Comply With NJ Rent Control Exemption May Prove Costly"
Crypto Securities Law: When Tokens Become Investment Contracts post image

Crypto Securities Law: When Tokens Become Investment Contracts

The application of traditional federal securities laws to crypto assets continues to evolve. In some cases, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) considers tokens and other digital assets to be securities. This makes them subject to federal securities law, including the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. This classification has […]

Author: Bryce S. Robins

Link to post with title - "Crypto Securities Law: When Tokens Become Investment Contracts"

No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

Sign up to get the latest from our attorneys!

Explore What Matters Most to You.

Consider subscribing to our Firm Insights mailing list by clicking the button below so you can keep up to date with the firm`s latest articles covering various legal topics.

Stay informed and inspired with the latest updates, insights, and events from Scarinci Hollenbeck. Our resource library provides valuable content across a range of categories to keep you connected and ahead of the curve.

Let`s get in touch!

* The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form. By providing a telephone number and submitting this form you are consenting to be contacted by SMS text message. Message & data rates may apply. Message frequency may vary. You can reply STOP to opt-out of further messaging.

Sign up to get the latest from the Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC attorneys!